Many different articles of manufacture, chemical compositions and processes have been developed for removing foreign substances from the surfaces of industrial and/or household items, including cookware and dishware, through liquid chemical cleaning processes. A common undesirable feature of these prior art inventions is the requirement for externally induced agitation to initiate the chemical cleaning process. This results in a significant increased cost required for agitation due to consequential equipment breakdowns, ultimately driving up the cost of such inventions to the user.
The present invention provides an apparatus and process for liquid immersion natural convection chemical cleaning ("dip cleaning") of industrial and/or household items without externally induced sources of liquid agitation. The items to be cleaned are immersed in a tank filled with a cleaning solution preferably comprising water and an alkaline non-toxic degreaser containing no organic solvents. The cleaning solution is electrically heated to a value lying within a predetermined temperature range for a predetermined time period to provide optimum cleaning results. Cleaning is accomplished by natural heating induced convection requiring no mechanical agitation. The cleaning solution is naturally circulated to flow underneath a grated tank bottom where it is electrically heated. The heated cleaning solution convects upwardly forming a natural circulation system which cleans by the natural circulation flow of the cleaning solution over the surfaces of the articles to be cleaned. The present invention is particularly well suited for use in cleaning cookware in the home and in commercial restaurant establishments.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and process for liquid immersion natural convection chemical cleaning of industrial and/or household items without externally induced sources of liquid agitation.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and process for liquid immersion natural convection chemical cleaning of cookware and dishware without externally induced sources of liquid agitation.